Tajikistan Dominates as Pakistan Faces Humiliating Loss in World Cup Qualifiers
In their second match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers, Pakistan’s football team faced a demoralizing 1-6 defeat against Tajikistan at Islamabad’s Jinnah Stadium.
Tajikistan demonstrated their prowess from the outset, securing an early lead with Kamolov’s goal, aided by a minor deflection from Abdullah Iqbal. The visitors swiftly doubled their advantage with a remarkable long-range shot by Soirov, leaving Pakistan’s Yousuf Butt helpless.
Responding to Tajikistan’s lead, Rahis Nabi injected hope into the home side with a spectacular left-footed goal in the 21st minute. However, Pakistan struggled with team structure and off-the-ball movement, particularly in the absent midfield during the first half.
Exploiting the void in the midfield, Tajikistan capitalized with another outside-the-box goal in the 26th minute. The visitors continued their dominance, scoring yet again just before halftime, extending their lead to three goals.
The challenges persisted for Pakistan in the second half, with difficulties in ball retention and players struggling to control and slow down the game tempo. In the 65th minute, the Men in Green conceded another goal from the edge of the box. Tajikistan added one more goal just before the final whistle, sealing their comprehensive 6-1 victory.
The match showcased a one-sided affair, with little positive takeaway for Pakistan except for Nabi’s stunning goal in the first half. In their earlier FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier match, Pakistan had suffered a 4-0 defeat against Saudi Arabia.
